An eerie calmness prevailed across then East Pakistan as Bangalees were eagerly waiting to listen to the address of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the planned rally on 7 March.
On 6 March 1971, a day before the historic rally in Dhaka, Pakistan military ruler Yahya Khan fixed 25 March as a fresh date for the inauguration of the National Assembly session to execute their evil design.
Everywhere people were talking about what would be the reaction from the Pakistan junta if Bangabandhu proclaims the independence of Bangladesh at the Race Course Maiden rally.

On the other hand, losing total control over its eastern province, the Pakistani autocratic government tried to understand the probable strategy of the Awami League chief while fixing their own strategies.
The Pak junta was least bothered about political negotiation, rather they waited for Bangalee leadership’s declaration of independence so that they get an excuse to launch a massive attack on them and thwart the movement.

Peaceful hartal was observed in Dhaka for the 5th consecutive day in protest against the Pakistan regime.
On this day, a total of 321 prisoners broke out of the Dhaka Central Jail around 11:00am and tried to escape the prison. Seven of them were shot dead and 30 were injured in the firing.
In the afternoon, Pakistan President Yahya Khan announced on radio that the inaugural session of the Pakistan National Assembly will begin on 25 March.

Through this announcement, he deliberately wanted to skip his responsibility if Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declares independence of Bangladesh at the rally.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Zulfikar Ali Bhutto immediately welcomed the new date for the inaugural session of the National Assembly.
However, in the radio broadcast, the iron voice of the President had shown no sympathy for the agitated Bangalees.

He said as long as he remained the chief of the Pakistan Army and as long as he led the country, he will ensure that any threat to the sovereignty of Pakistan will be handled with an iron fist.
Yahya Khan also blamed Awami League and its leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for the crisis in the country.
Unlike other leaders of West Pakistan, Muslim League leader Air Marshal Malik Nur Khan said the government should hand over power to newly elected leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
In an interview in Lahore, he said it was the legal right of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to rule the country.

Immediately after the radio announcement of the new date for the National Assembly, ordinary people in Dhaka and Narayanganj took to the streets.
On 6 March evening, Bangabandhu sat in a series of meetings with his party’s working committee and several senior leaders to determine their reaction to the new date of the assembly session.
Bangabandhu was under tremendous pressure from the student leaders, party hardliners and a large section of people to declare independence of the country at the 7 March rally.
But he wanted to take more time before coming to a final decision as he did not make it clear what he would say in his address the following day.